ABOUT US

House of Swank started in a tiny two-bedroom apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina, back in 2011.

Founder John Pugh was playing music around town with his world-famous three-string lunchbox guitar—the Fritocaster—and wanted a few T-shirts to sell at shows. He couldn't find anything that fit his style, so he designed and printed five shirts himself.

They sold.

So he printed ten more.

Those sold too.

Then came stickers. Can coolers. More T-shirts. More designs. More events. Before long, what started as a side project had grown into House of Swank.

Over the years, John and his wife, Jessica Robinson, spent countless weekends setting up at festivals, pop-up markets, and maker events across North Carolina. From MerleFest and the International Bluegrass Music Association's World of Bluegrass festival to the North Carolina State Fair and dozens of local markets, those early events helped shape the business and introduced House of Swank to thousands of customers.

Today, House of Swank operates from its Raleigh production studio, where we design, print, and ship our original apparel, stickers, magnets, and gifts. Our products are sold online, through hundreds of independent retailers across the country, at festivals and special events, and through our live screen printing experiences for businesses, conferences, breweries, and community events.

Whenever possible, we make our products right here in Raleigh. We believe in creating original designs, producing high-quality products, and treating customers the way we'd want to be treated.

Supporting our community has always been an important part of who we are. Over the years, we've been proud to support organizations including Helping Hand Mission, the LGBT Center of Raleigh, Planned Parenthood, Coats for Kids, and many other local nonprofits and community events.

These days, John and Jessica are also raising two young boys, which means life is every bit as busy—and as fun—as running a small business.

It all started with five T-shirts and a homemade guitar.

Thanks for being part of the journey.

— John Pugh